The present invention relates to novel hydantoin derivatives, processes for producing hydantoin derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one of said hydantoin derivatives as aldose reductase inhibitors and novel intermediate compounds in the synthesis of said hydantoin derivatives.
Cataract, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy associated with diabetes mellitus result from abnormal accumulation of polyol metabolites converted from sugars by aldose reductase. For example, sugar cataract results from damage of lens provoked by change in osmotic pressure induced by abnormal accumulation of polyol metabolites converted from glucose or galactose by aldose reductase in lens. [see J. H. Kinoshita et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 158, 472 (1968) and cited references in the report]. And some reports were submitted about undesirable effect of abnormal accumulation of polyol metabolites in lens, peripheral nerve cord and kidney of the diabetic animals [see A. Pirie et al. Exp. Eye Res., 3, 124 (1964) L. T. Chylack Jr. et al., Invest. Opthal., 8, 401 (1969) J. D. Ward et al., Diabetologia, 6, 531 (1970)]. Consequently, it is important to inhibit aldose reductase as strongly as possible for treating and/or preventing diabetic complications mentioned above. Although several compounds have been offered as aldose reductase inhibitors, none of them is fully sufficient in inhibitory activity against the enzyme. Therefore, it has been desired to develop new compounds having a stronger inhibitory activity against aldose reductase.